Survey finds room for improvement in U.S. maternity care

Data from the Listening to Mothers III survey by Harris Interactive documented overuse of procedures such as labor induction and cesarean delivery among pregnant women, while beneficial services including help with smoking cessation for expectant mothers who smoked were not consistently offered by health care providers. "Underused maternity practices tend to be noninvasive, pose few if any risks, and use relatively few resources," said researcher Eugene Declercq. "They offer many opportunities to improve the quality, outcomes and cost of maternity care, with benefits for mothers and babies, and those who pay for their care."